Washington, D.C. – Earlier this week, Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Ranking Member of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, helped to pass the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), H.R. 3838, through the House Armed Services Committee (HASC). The bill builds on her work as Ranking Member of the Quality of Life panel and incorporates 31 of her priorities, including a 3.8% pay raise for all servicemembers as well as additional funding for the construction of new barracks, housing, and child development centers. It also makes important modernizations across the Department of Defense (DOD) to streamline bureaucracy, improve decision-making, and accelerate development of innovative technologies. This will enable the military to respond more quickly and effectively to national security needs and supports a robust, 21st century defense infrastructure. 

“Writing and passing the National Defense Authorization Act each year is one of my most sacred responsibilities in Congress,” said Houlahan. “Ensuring that our military is prepared to face the threats of tomorrow, and that our servicemembers and their families are taken care of, is something I take incredibly seriously as a third-generation veteran myself. I am proud that this year’s bipartisan bill continues to fortify the work and provisions of the Quality of Life panel while addressing the urgent technological and strategic needs of our military.” 

The annual defense bill passed out of committee by a 55-2 vote, continuing a 65-year tradition of bipartisan cooperation among members of HASC. Rep. Houlahan once again successfully negotiated a significant number of provisions.   

As the bill was being drafted in committee ahead of this week’s debate, Houlahan was able to secure twenty-one of her priorities, including:  

• Strengthening Army and special operations readiness with modern heavy-lift helicopters, and supporting 469 Boeing employees in PA-06 who help build and sustain this critical capability; 

• Accelerating the production of cutting-edge technologies like unmanned helicopters and enhancing special operations forces’ lethality, agility, and counterterrorism effectiveness across the Department of Defense; 

• Advancing medical research, disease prevention, and detection to stop outbreaks that threaten public health, agriculture, and the global food supply; 

• Improving energy reliability at military bases, ensuring installations can operate during outages or attacks to keep missions running and personnel safe; 

• Improving access to technologies that will make military healthcare faster, safer, and more efficient for both providers and patients; 

• Removing referral hurdles for servicewomen to access OB-GYN care and expanding choice in their providers, improving access and overall health outcomes. 

During the 13-hour debate in the Armed Services Committee, Houlahan successfully advocated for ten additional priorities including:  

• Reinstating the Women’s Initiative Teams across all service branches, which identify and remove barriers to women’s recruitment, retention, and advancement, after their elimination by Secretary Hegseth; 

• Authorizing biotechnology training programs for military personnel, civilians, and contractors to ensure the workforce is equipped to safely develop, manage, and apply innovative technologies in defense, health, and other critical mission areas; 

• Preserving education and childcare for servicemembers by preventing the Department of Defense from terminating DoDEA or military childcare workers without documented poor performance or misconduct; 

• Requiring a detailed update on how the DOD is integrating women into conflict prevention, security, and peacebuilding efforts, reinforcing the U.S.’s commitments to inclusive defense and global stability. 

During the debate, Rep. Houlahan also partnered with some of her colleagues to advance additional priorities in the NDAA, including: 

• Automating Selective Service registration, which will use existing government records to register men ages 18-25 for selective service, as is required by law, saving taxpayer dollars; 

• Expanding bereavement leave for servicemembers and their families to include the loss of a pregnancy or a stillbirth for both spouses; 

• Expanding access to fertility treatment under TRICARE so that servicemembers and their dependents receive coverage equal to the coverage that Members of Congress and their staff can receive; 

• Raising the cap on military reimbursement for childcare costs in high-cost areas; 

• Increasing the number of infant and toddler care facilities in high-cost areas.   

You can find a full list of Rep. Houlahan’s included provisions here. 

Houlahan added, "I thank Chairman Mike Rogers and Ranking Member Adam Smith for the bipartisanship and commitment to servicemembers and national security with which they led this process. Last night’s markup is a testament to their leadership, and I look forward to working with them as we get this bill to the House floor, through the Senate, and ultimately to the President's desk for signature." 

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You can read the full text of H.R. 3838 here.  

WATCH:  

• Houlahan Speaks on Amendment Prohibiting the Use of Signal for Classified Information  

• Houlahan Speaks on Amendment Supporting Civilian Workforce 

• Houlahan Speaks on Protecting Funds for Quality of Life Initiatives  

• Houlahan Speaks on Restoring Affinity Groups at Military Service Academies 

• Houlahan Speaks on Amendment Requiring Documented Cause When Firing Officers 

• Houlahan Speaks Out Against Amendment Pulling Funds for Ukraine 

• Houlahan Speaks on Amendment to Codify Women Serving in Combat Roles 

• Houlahan Speaks on Protecting Reproductive Care for Servicemembers 

Full Markup 


Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, engineer, entrepreneur, educator, and nonprofit leader. She is serving her fourth consecutive term representing the people of Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. Houlahan is the first female veteran to be named as Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee’s Military Personnel Subcommittee and a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Houlahan is also chair of the Economic Growth and Cost of Living Task Force on the New Democrat Coalition.